Integrated pointing and drawing graphics system for computers

A system for alternatively establishing a graphic tablet and a touchpad, comprising:

• a display;
• a position sensitive input surface associated with the display;
• logic means for receiving an absolute signal and a relative signal;
• graphic tablet logic means for establishing a graphic tablet in response to the absolute signal, the graphic tablet logic means presenting a visual feedback on the display representative of the absolute signal;
• touchpad logic means for establishing a touchpad in response to the relative signal, the touchpad logic means presenting a visual feedback on the display representative of the relative signal and a contact element contacting the input surface;
• and
• the visual feedbacks comprising a graphics window and the image of a cursor in the window.

A computer-implemented method for presenting a graphics window on a display associated with a digital processing system, an input surface being in data communication with the digital processing system for inputting data to the digital processing system when a contact element is positioned against the input surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving a toggle signal representative of an absolute mode or a relative mode;
• (b) when the toggle signal represents an absolute mode, presenting a window on the display regardless of whether the contact element contacts the input surface, and generating an image of a cursor in the window at a position relative to the window that is analogous to the position of the contact element relative to the input surface;
• and
• (c) when the toggle signal represents a relative mode, presenting a window on the display only when a contact element contacts the input surface, and generating an image of a cursor in the window at a position relative to the window that is analogous to the position of the contact element relative to the input surface.